Caldecott Award

Caldecott Award. I always like good pictures books. As such, I have always been a big supporter of the ALA Caldecott Award. This essay has a list of past winners with lesson plan ideas.



From the site:



The Caldecott Award:



This is awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. It is given to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. The award has been given annually since 1938. A list of past award winners is included at the end of this essay.



There are many ways that these books can be used in serving children in libraries and schools. Here are a few ideas:



1. Hold a Caldecott Award party. Have the children read winning books by themselves and with each other. Have the teacher or librarian read a favorite winner or two. Decorate the library or classroom to fit a theme. Imagine a "Where the Wild Things Are" theme!



2. Have a Caldecott Award alcove in your library or classroom. Have all the past winning books on the shelve. Explain to students, parents, and patrons why these books are important. Encourage that they be checked out and read.



3. Assign each student in a class or reading group one of the Caldecott Award books. Make sure each child has a different book. Have them report back to the class or group about the book the student read at a latter date.



4. Have a costume day based on one of the Caldecott Award books. Again, "Where the Wild Things Are" would be great for this theme. However, other books that have won the award would work good as well.